Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-01-27
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Report on the Public School SyH-
tenn of Kansaa

Inc 1ollowlng report presented Dv
special committee to the Kansas State
Teachers Association on the Kansas school
system will be found of interest:
To the dHdrsds State Teachers Association:
The committee appointed at the last annual
meeting of this association to report on the de-
sirabihty of a change from our present district
SYSTEM TO either the township or county sys-
tenn, early in September sent q circular OF in
quiryeto every county superintendent in the
State. Mordsor less complete reports were
ceived from about forty counties, and these
faithfully represent the condition OF all parts OF
the State, as will be found in perusing the
tabular statements embodied in this report.
In the first place, let US ask attention to the
fact that the present system results in choice
OF three school officers from very small COM
munity, and from very limited number of men.
They may be (perhaps generally arc) as good
men as can be found in that community; but
this fact does not relieve them from being only
too often very poor school officers.
Now the county superintendents referred to,
In making their special reports, answered very
generally this question: How many school
,rofficers in your county visit their schools!' a
careful compilation of the replies shows that
out of nearly 5000 officers, only some 800 (or
less than one-sixth) discharge this very plain
duty. In other words, the result is
the though in all the odd-numbered
districts the officers never visit their schools,
and in the evsn-numbered districts, only one
member of the board knows by personal OBJ
o servation the conditions and needs of the
eseem bad enough and might well cause us to
look more carefully into district affairs; but
Rthere is than this Another question
twas: What proportion OF your school officers
sthoughtfully and intelligently discharge their
eduties?" 1t is quite possible that some school
officers are busy men, with no time for vista
tions-and yet give much thought to their work.
1t is not impossible that excellent
teachers make visits from the board almost I'M
necessary But there can be excuse for care
lessness, thoughtlessness Incapacity. Yet
answering for more than 1000 officers, but 2,0O
were reported 1aVoreoly. On an average, then-
in zach district about seven-eighths of man
''thoug htfuIy and intelligently discharges his
duties" as a school officer! And the education
of our children, and intelligent citizenship, and
the future OF this StateS depend largely on the
results of this two-sevenths management! Is it
not time to investigate, to see whether the syS-
TEN or the to blame; to what rem
edies atNneeded, and what can be applied: 1t
is quite probable that districts do as well as
they can in selecting officers. Further, the SUI
perintepdents in question have doubtless I'M
derstated rather than overstated the evils prev
alent their own counties. This last should
be constantly in mind. Men speak as favorably
as possible of their constituents, even in ccn-
ddentfal and privileged communications. We
may be sure that the ease is worse than actu-
ally reported, rather than better.
To proceed: Superintendcnts having within
their jurisdiction 1000 officers report 1000
of these wholly unfit for their positions"
1t might be questioned as to the respects in
the returns are painfully explicit. 1t is with
much hesitation that we quote the figures As
kansans and citizens, we are ashamed of the
showing But believe that the evil will
never be remedied till the fac1s are brought to
the public eye, ear and conscience.
Asked, ''How many officers are virtually i1iit-
crater the gentlemen Intercepted say more
than one-ifth-1,GGo in 1900 Oound numbers
We wish to pause Eight here to ask care
full consideration of the facts thus
made prominent. AS business men,
practical men, ii is time citizens carried to
school matters practical and business sense. If
taxes are not good investment, then taxes had
better come to end. They not be good
investment, however. when expended by a
body of men a large per cent of whom have no
knowledge of the business, while still q larger
per cent give it no attention whatever. If of
any seventy hired men, only thirteen gave the
business in hand the honefii Of their presence
and personal effort twenty-cne thought about
il, ''End thirty-siX knew nothing about it at ALL
how long could the employers of such laborers
keep out of bankruptcy? Suppose that Super
intendeut Parnharn, at the capitol building
should report to 2he commissioners: Total
Number of men employed and paid 20; average
reporting for duty, Ii; number who say they
thinking about it, 81; cripples, blind, and
wholly unfit fOf work, sc, about how long be
fore Superintendent Parnham would be on his
journey to Lawrence? Yet this is precisely
what we seem to be doing all over this State
partly because we are welded to precedent
(the district system,) and largely because
are very busy making money that we cannot
stop To see fhat it is wisely expended For
children's sake. if not for own, should
seek remedy for the prevailing inef1ciency OF a
large per cent. of our rural schools.
There is another phase OF our present system
which is almost as disheartening as the wrctched
showing made in official zeal and ability. That
is, the limitations, inequalities and rank injus-
tice of the resulting taxation. We gener-
ally so alert TO perceive that which touches our
pockets that it is remarkable that this Unequal
ity of burdens has not made itself felt before.
From part OF the reports referred to the fol-
lowing contrasts have been drawn The figures
may speak for themselves. They said to be
confined to districts in which teacher only
ic